Deals and Steals at the Hotel Plaza Athenee New York

We at Five Star Alliance know that our travelers are in search of luxurious accommodations at the best prices available, so we go above and beyond to find the best promotional packages and specials to ensure you get the most from your hotel experience. We’re thrilled to introduce our newest blog series where we’ll be featuring luxury hotels that offer you more than just room-only rates. Whether you’re traveling on business or pleasure, we certainly have something for you. Be sure to check in with us often to get the inside scoop on the best deals and packages available at luxury hotels all over the world!

The Hotel Plaza Athenee is one of the iconic hotels of Paris, and its sister property in the other capital of the world, New York, matches it stride for stride. This week's deals focus on the American transplant, which brings a brand of Parisian romance and style to a city with its own particular character. With these specials, now is the perfect time to experience the unique blend of Paris and New York at the Hotel Plaza Athenee.

Classic Families

The classic families package is a great way to guarantee that your family has enough space for everyone and doesn't have to take the elevator to stay together. The Plaza Athenee can guarantee two connecting king-bedded rooms for the price of just $1120 in the low seasons or $1220 in the high (from April 1-June 30). Similarly a two bedroom suite is available for $1720 or $2125. The cost of the interconnecting rooms is a 50% discount on the second king bed for the low season. Additionally, it includes up to four tickets to the Central Park Zoo and milk and cookies at turndown.

Leading Celebrations

Book leading celebrations for a great flat discount on your rate, with Executive King rooms available for under $500 with rates varying depending on your dates of travel.

Spa Package

If you want to make use of the Plaza Athenee's wonderful spa, book a spa package which comes with a 50-minute signature massage at the Plaza Athenee Spa.

Simply enter your dates of travel here to see what great deals are available at the Hotel Plaza Athenee when you'll be there!

Deals and Steals at Charleston Place in South Carolina

We at Five Star Alliance know that you, our loyal travelers, are in search of luxurious accommodations at the best prices available, so we go above and beyond to find the best promotional packages and specials to ensure you get the most from your hotel experience. We’re thrilled to introduce our newest blog series where we’ll be featuring luxury hotels that offer you more than just room-only rates. Whether you’re traveling on business or pleasure, we certainly have something for you, so be sure to check in with us often to get the inside scoop on the best deals and packages available at luxury hotels all over the world!

Charleston Place is a charming luxury hotel located in the heart of the historic district on King Street in the beautiful town of Charleston, South Carolina. Its Italian marble lobby and signature Georgian open arm staircase evoke the feeling of a grand 17th century residence, providing guests with stunning and luxurious accommodations and amenities. Its 435 beautiful rooms and suites, award winning dining options at the Palmetto Café and Charleston Grill, and its full service spa with rooftop indoor and outdoor pool and Jacuzzi all contribute to make this one of the finest hotels in Charleston!  Be sure to check out the following packages and deals to make the most out of your trip to this beautiful southern town!

75 Credit Summer Savings Package

Looking to get the most out of your summer family vacation? Check out this package which includes luxury accommodations, a Passport to Savings book worth $75 to be used towards the Spa, restaurants, and bars, and children ages 12 and under eat for free when dining with a paying adult.

Breakfast and Valet Parking Package

Perfect for the business traveler, this package includes luxury accommodations, daily a la carte breakfast for 2 in the Palmetto Café (to the value of $40 per room), valet parking for one car, complimentary wireless internet access, and a daily newspaper.

Continental Breakfast Grill Gourmet Package

This is the ideal package for a romantic getaway, and it includes luxury accommodations, one dinner for 2 at the Charleston Grill (to the value of $120 per room, per stay), one Continental Breakfast for 2 at the Palmetto Café, sparkling wine, and a special amenity, complimentary wireless internet access, and a daily newspaper.

115 Credit Spa Experience Package

Perfect for a relaxing retreat, this package includes luxurious accommodations, $115 spa credit per room, per day for use in the Charleston Place Spa, complimentary wireless internet access, and a daily newspaper.

Deals and Steals at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix

We at Five Star Alliance know that you, our loyal travelers, are in search of luxurious accommodations at the best prices available, so we go above and beyond to find the best promotional packages and specials to ensure you get the most from your hotel experience. We’re thrilled to introduce our newest blog series where we’ll be featuring luxury hotels that offer you more than just room-only rates. Whether you’re traveling on business or pleasure, we certainly have something for you, so be sure to check in with us often to get the inside scoop on the best deals and packages available at luxury hotels all over the world!

The Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona is known throughout the world as the ‘Jewel of the Desert,’ and it provides the perfect oasis of beautiful gardens, sparkling swimming pools, and Frank Lloyd Wright influenced architecture. It is considered one of the most spectacular resorts in the world and features 738 guestrooms including 78 one and two bedroom villas, 8 swimming pools, 7 tennis courts, an 18-hole putting course, and a full service European spa, salon, and fitness center. Check out the following packages perfect for golf lovers, foodies, and folks looking for a stress-free vacation.

Golf Package

This package is available for a variety of room types including Classic Rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds, Resort Rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds, 2 Bedroom Villas, Premiere Rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds, 1 Bedroom Villas, Executive Rooms with 1 King or 2 Queen beds, and Mobility Accessible rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds. This package includes $50 daily food and beverage resort credit and 1 round of golf per person.

Daily F & B Credit Package

This package is available for Classic Rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds, 1 Bedroom Villas, Resort Rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds, Premier Rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds, 2 Bedroom Villas, and Mobility Accessible rooms with 1 king or 2 queen beds. This package includes $50 daily food and beverage resort credit and one room category upgrade if available.

All Inclusive Package

This package is available for a variety of room types and includes classic accommodations, breakfast for 2, lunch for 2, dinner for 2, 30% off spa a la carte services, and free self-parking. Offer is subject to availability. Room rate does not include tax, gratuities, or incidental charges. All offer inclusive meals are valid for up to two adults on each day of stay and include tax & gratuity with a combined daily value for two adults up to US$32 per breakfast; up to US$62 per lunch; and up to US$99 for dinners. All meals valid at hotel restaurants only and excludes in-room dining. Meal plan and spa discounts are non-transferable and can not be redeemed for cash or used for future stays. Discount of 30% on spa services is valid only for a la carte services for the duration of guest stay. Spa discount can not be used for salon services, spa/salon packages and cannot be combined with any other special offers or discounts. Advance reservations are required. This offer may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions and/or coupons. Offer is not valid for group rates or select plan codes.

Be sure to take advantage of these phenomenal packages and deals for your next visit to Phoenix, Arizona!

The Grapes of Fest: Newport Beach Wine Festival May 25-27

Wine is probably the closest thing we have on earth to ambrosia, the fabled nectar of the gods. Maybe it is actually, and we're just too mortal to realize what a good thing we've stumbled upon. Well, Newport Beach is trying its hand at celebrating this luscious liquid just a few weekends from now. The Newport Beach Wine Festival is being held by the Balboa Bay Club & Resort from May 25th-27th, and you too can join in on the inebriating fun. The Grand Tasting Gala event will feature over 60 wineries, and the Balboa Bay Club & Resort are putting on everything from an Argentinian BBQ to a Master Sommelier's Wine Dinner. Check out a full brochure of the event here, and be sure to get your room before they fill up for the big celebration.  With California wine country nearby, you're sure to be tasting some of the best wines America has to offer.

Treat Mom to a Day at the Spa for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and we can’t think of a better way to show your appreciation for everything mom does than by giving her the gift of luxury and relaxation. The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pennsylvania features only 58 rooms, and a 15 acre private lake for rowboating, kayaking, and fishing. Check out the packages available to treat mom on her special day!

All packages include lavish accommodations, 3 meals daily, inspiring creative arts, scheduled group fitness classes, chef’s cooking demonstrations, selected guided group adventure excursions, and health and fitness amenities such as pool, hydro massage waterfalls, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, steam rooms, saunas, and a state-of-the-art 3,000 square foot cardio weight studio.

Make your reservations for mom today and give her the perfect gift this Mother’s Day!

Picking Up the Pieces: Life-Size Chess at Forty 1 North

Boutique hotels are well known for being a little more innovative in their design, and many smaller boutiques make the decoration of their public spaces a distinct expression of contemporary style. There's not many of these that have gone so far as to make the design interactive, however. The Forty 1 North plays host to quite the impressive life-size chess set. The plus-size pieces are the perfect pairing with a private party pregnant with prospective players. And if you prefer your play to be packaged in a pint-sized display, Forty 1 North also offers an iPad free with every room. That means for the duration of your stay, a few belligerent fowl are always just a flick of the finger away. Forty 1 North apparently never saw the annotated power point presentation explaining how to make a luxury hotel because they've broken all the rules, and it's working out very well for them. They couldnt even make up their mind whether to spell out the numbers in their name, and it's ended up looking chic and off-beat. If I had half the panache that let's them pull off the things they have, I'd be drinking cocktails out of a goblet and riding a tiger to work. As it stands, the closest I'm going to get to that kind of style is if I book a room there.

Sponsored Feature: The Orient Express's Casa de Sierra Nevada and Observatory Hotel

What follows are impressions of two of our favorite Orient Express properties, the Observatory Hotel in Sydney and the Casa de Sierra Nevada, in many ways very different hotels, and in more than just their geography.  

Observatory Hotel, Sydney, Australia

I'll confess a fair bit of ignorance about why the Observatory Hotel is actually called the Observatory. Perhaps it was the site of a revolutionary astronomical discovery or it used to house the local planetarium in a forgotten back room. Maybe it just has a habit of flowering the walls at a party in order to better watch the crowd. It's a mystery as enigmatic as the stars in the sky, and we may never know. Well, it probably has something to do with the adjacent Observatory Park, but why spoil the hyperbole?

What I do know is that the Observatory Hotel is a perfect luxury hotel to use as jumping off point for exploring Sydney, a city that thrums with the heartbeat of a constantly evolving culture. Not far from the Rocks and Circular Quay, not to mention the Sydney Opera House, you're right in the middle of the action. As a break from experiencing all the city has to offer, you can retreat back to the quiet inner sanctum of the Observatory to enjoy an afternoon tea at the Globe Bar & Brasserie. For more substantial fare, head to Galileo in the evening, and you'll experience their amazing interpretation of fine French cuisine (the mystery of the name is quickly unravelling faster than the flat earth theory). If you're looking to stay in the utmost of style, make sure to book their gorgeous presidential suite, a study in aesthetics that makes extensive use of objects d'Art and features a four-poster bed. The Observatory Hotel is an extra-classy place to stay for the discerning traveler who finds themselves in Sydney.

Casa de Sierra Nevada, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Across the world from the Observatory Hotel, you'll find the Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende. Built in 1580, the Sierra Nevada is one of the smallest hotels in our collection. With just 33 rooms, the hotel is a serene escape from the bustle of everyday life. An inner courtyard is the perfect enclosure to keep the busy noise of the outside world at bay while you relax and refresh in one of the most historic towns in Mexico. Importantly, the hotel allows no children under the age of 11, so you won't be disturbed while you crack open the novel you've never gotten to or just soak up the rays of the sun. The National Institute of Anthropology and History was so enamored with the hotel's repurposed homes that they are designated historical landmarks. The surrounding mountainous landscape seems to be a backdrop that could only be dreamed up in a movie studio, but you can experience the unparalleled quietude and incredible service of the Casa de Sierra Nevada in real life. It's just one trip away.

Bucking the Trend: New Mandarin Oriental Opens in Atlanta

The Mandarin Oriental in Atlanta, Buckhead is now open for business, which created a bit of a conundrum for me. See, there are just so many great headlines for Buckhead. Alternate titles included, "Ahead of the Trend," "The Buck Stops Here," and "Mandarin Oriental Opens a New Hotel in Buckhead," which was the generous contribution of the portlier half of my brain. Thanks, left brain, but you're not very good at this. Anyway, after my painstaking research into optimized punnillanimity, I turned my eyes to the actual details of the newest addition to the Buckhead neighborhood. The Mandarin Oriental promises terrace views of the city skyline from some of the rooms on higher floors, and its Premier Terrace Suite offers a more panoramic view from either of its two balconies, from which you can enjoy some fantastic in-room breakfast or dinner.  Stay in any of its 127 guest rooms to enjoy its 15,000 sq ft spa and Taipan Cocktail Bar.  Also, look for the More in Atlanta package to grab a third night free. 

Via Luxury Travel Advisor.

Saint Barbara's Jardín: Inn of the Spanish Garden

In veneration of the Honorable Alex Kozinski (don't click this until the end, or you're cheating), we're going to do a little something special with this post. It's risky business when two ideas face off in a single article. On one level, I'll be talking about the wonderful Inn of the Spanish Garden. On the other, well, see if you can find the clue, or, perhaps, I've left you clueless. In any case, let's get to it.

Opening just eleven years ago in 2001, the Inn of the Spanish Garden brings a distinctly Mediterranean flavor to the West coast. It is a true American beauty, the fusion of European sensibilities with a level of relaxation only California could achieve. Staying in any of the 23 rooms at the Inn is just about as good as it gets. The small size means that the 24-hour staff is available to personalize your experience so you can have it just as you like it. With either a private balcony or patio in every room that may open up to the secret garden within their beautiful courtyard, you don't have to leave the outdoors behind. Their 30-person banquet hall is perfect for parties looking to host a small wedding or party in a small hotel that you can really make your own. The verdict? The Inn of the Spanish Garden is a great escape from the bustle of the world outside.

Don't Be Hasty: Stay at the Hastings House

Salt Spring Island is one of the most iconic destinations in all of Canada, a small, exclusive natural island that promises an escape we'd all like to enjoy. Overlooking Ganges Harbor, Hastings House is a small manor house that's a perfectly self-contained destination. The folks there do dining right as well. They are clearly friends with one Peregrin Took because not only is muffin and coffee delivered right to your door, you can follow it up with a leisurely second, English breakfast. Lamb and local seafood are the figureheads of the Verandah's beautiful dinner options, and they are always complimented by fresh herbs and produce from the estate gardens. It couldn't be fresher if you picked it yourself. Top it off with a glass from their incredibly well-stocked and international wine cellar.

The small manor also offers its very own wellness treatments from massages to body wraps right next to the fireplace in your very own suite. It's a vacation experience you won't want to miss out on. The Hastings House even has some adorable pet lambs.